Service advice

[Gary123]

I have a 16 plate A3 1.4 petrol and the service indicator has come on. The cars done 14k miles and I 

have been told that it requires a major service as it is its first service and the vehicle is now 2 yrs old.

I have been quoted by two dealers a cost of £470 does this sound right ?

Thanks in advance.

[B5dawg]

It depends weather you are on fixed or variable serving. As your car is now two years old I'd assume it on variable servicing. 2years or 16-20k. Your car should only need an oil change with inspection. Brake fluid Is due at 3 years from new then every 2 year. Cambelt every 5 years. Air and pollen Filters are mileage dependand or if you request them and are extra. You should be asked if you want them done when you book in for a service. Air conditioning service is recommended every two years also.

when on variable servicing vw Audi say you should get an inspection done every year and oil change every other year. Usually the service light on the dash is set wrong on PDI so people only book in when the service light comes on every 2 years or when oil quality it's is poor. Also people rarely book in for just an inspection so they get an oil change every year when they only need it every 2 years. 

Can be confusing 

[Magnet]

Some interesting points in Adam's response. 'I must admit that 'Variable service' is something new to me, and my (probably not up to date experience) pointed me to 'Longlife' or fixed (or whatever the correct word is) service intervals. My guess would have been that vehicles on a Longlife schedule are likely to go to around 18/20k miles dependent on driving conditions. If Gary's car is on this schedule then is it also governed by a 2 year interval irrespective of mileages? 

Brake fluid change at 3 years old as the starting point - then every 2 years - is again interesting. My guess at it was that it was at fixed 2year interval - which might again have explained why Gary has been informed that this is a 'major' service. 

Cost? As always, it's worth shopping around other main dealers for comparative prices for the same agreed work. I'm estimating average dealer labour rates to be at least £100/hour plus VAT = £120. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[Gary123]

17 hours ago, B5dawg said:

It depends weather you are on fixed or variable serving. As your car is now two years old I'd assume it on variable servicing. 2years or 16-20k. Your car should only need an oil change with inspection. Brake fluid Is due at 3 years from new then every 2 year. Cambelt every 5 years. Air and pollen Filters are mileage dependand or if you request them and are extra. You should be asked if you want them done when you book in for a service. Air conditioning service is recommended every two years also.

when on variable servicing vw Audi say you should get an inspection done every year and oil change every other year. Usually the service light on the dash is set wrong on PDI so people only book in when the service light comes on every 2 years or when oil quality it's is poor. Also people rarely book in for just an inspection so they get an oil change every year when they only need it every 2 years. 

Can be confusing 

Do I assume we make our own mind up on the variable or fixed depending on our annual millage. I was just told when I purchased the car it was 2yrs or 19k miles.

[B5dawg]

Fixed or variable is dependant on what oil you engine takes. 

Eg diesel with a dpf are on variable usually using low ash oil 507 spec oil 

petrols are usually on fixed servicing on 502 spec oil 

performance engine like the 2.0 tfsi and s3's golf r's are on different oil still can't remember the spec

 

basicly if you on variable you can go on fixed servicing but if the oil you engine takes is supposed to be fixed you can't go on to variable. At the end of the day you can choose not to do oil changes on time and stretch it oou but if you have an engine issue warranty will just laugh at you 

[Royleblue]

On 6/19/2018 at 10:50 PM, B5dawg said:

Fixed or variable is dependant on what oil you engine takes. 

performance engine like the 2.0 tfsi and s3's golf r's are on different oil still can't remember the spec

 

Just had mine in for an oil and filter change with a local independent garage. £191. He used two different oils - Synthetic (£88.47 + VAT) and Premium Synthetic (£18.98 + VAT). Not quite sure what is in these oils. Whatever happened to the days of a gallon of 20/50 for a fiver?

[Magnet]

Hello Phil,

Now you are testing the logic! Two different oils in one engine at one time?? 

20/50 at £5 a gallon. Yes, 'posh' oil at the time, but no doubt the weekly wage as about £25 at the time, and engines lasted about 70k miles. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[Royleblue]

Hi Gareth

Two different oils is a new one on me too. 

I’ve had service packages on my last two cars (a VW and a BMW) so have not had to pay for anything for about 8 years so the price of oil came as a bit of a shock. I hate to think what Audi would have charged for this!

[Magnet]

Hello Phil,

So you are using independents to service your year old, obviously within warranty car. Theoretically fine as I understand it, provided the car is serviced according to the schedule and I guess VAG parts and approved lubricants are used. No doubt the burden of proof would rest with you if any warranty claim was made. Worth the hassle over the cost benefits?? 

Back to two different oils being used in the same under-warranty car remains at least strange to me ( and perhaps strange should be in capitals ) . Explainable under a warranty claim?? Essential to get an explanation for potential warrant protection?? Definitely in my book. 

Cost of comparable service at Audi? Probably would have been well worth well worth having both figures to assess whether the difference is worthwhile. 

Just a though - does your independent have access to the VAG system to be able to record this service on their database?

No service book now? 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Fatbloke]

£470 !!!! They must think you are zipped up the back, especially for a first service.

 

Get a quote from an indy and make sure they use the correct spec oil and genuine filters and they are listed on the invoice.

For the 507 spec oil you can get Quantum (used by Skoda dealers and now made by Fuchs) or Fuchs for under £30 for 5 litres and I got genuine oil filters from an Audi dealer for just over £6 each.

I use an indy specialist and my car gets an oil and filter change every 5,000 miles and inspection services at or before the recommended intervals. I will do the same with the Haldex unit and gearbox, correct spec/genuine oil at more frequent intervals.

I would rather buy a used car from an "enthusiast" that's been well looked after with all the receipts etc than a vehicle thats had lots of miles between services over its whole life.

The garage I purchased my low mileage vehicle from told me it was serviced around 100 miles before I bought it and Audi had a record of it. The oil was very black and Audi had no record of it. No way it had been changed. I have a trusted independent now so I know it's been done.